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Tips for poaching duck breasts?

#1
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10/3/08 at 12:04pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Post Count: 1
HI everyone,

I saw on a cooking program recently that one of the chefs slow poached duck breasts to get them really tender. It wasn't the kind of cookery program with instuctions though so I hoped I might get some tips the following:

* How long could you poach for?
* Would you wrap them in cling film or just loose?
* In stock? Water? What?

Just looking for a few ideas for a little experimentation this weekend :)

thx!
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#2
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10/3/08 at 10:37pm
  • Joined: November 2007
  • Location: Salt Lake City
  • Post Count: 903
The last time I did some duck breasts ( skin on ) I steamed them. I scored the skin a bit, put them in a steamer basket, let them go about 20 minutes. Pulled them out, let them dry off a bit then seared in a skillet to crisp up the skin and render off a bit more of the fat. They turned out pretty good. I let the steaming water cool, stuck it in the fridge, then collected the duck fat off the surface. Duck fat is good stuff.

I've not tried poaching, but I bet it would work as well as steaming. I'd be tempted to use chicken broth or a court boullion instead of plain water. And a quick visit to a hot skillet to brown a bit might be a nice touch.

mjb.
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#3
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10/5/08 at 8:25am
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Location: London
  • Post Count: 10
Give this a go.
You'll need a thermometer for this one.
Take a duck breast, remove the skin (Keep skin for later) and wrap in clingfilm tight until it's a sausage shape. Put in fridge for around an hour.
Heat a pan of water to 60 - 70 degrees centigrade then place the duck in the water for 25 mins.
Remove the duck from the water. Take of the clingfilm and leave to one side.
Get a hot pan, place the duck skin in the pan and fry until the fat runs then sear the duck breast in the fat, seasoning as you go, until you have a nice crust.

Because you only heated it through at 60 degrees the duck should be really tender inside.
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